15 Simple Steps to Better Healthy Smoothie Recipes

Set out the almond milk, spinach, frozen banana, frozen berries, yogurt, nut butter, chia seeds, protein powder and cinnamon before you switch the blender on. Measuring everything first, rather than eyeballing as you go, is what keeps the ratio of liquid to fruit consistent every single time.

Rinse the 40 g (1 cup) baby spinach under cold running water to remove any grit, then shake or spin it dry in a salad spinner. Wet spinach adds unwanted extra liquid to the blend, so drying it properly helps keep the smoothie thick rather than watery.

Peel the ripe banana, slice it into 2 cm (3/4 inch) rounds, and freeze on a lined tray for at least 4 hours or overnight until solid. A frozen banana is the single biggest reason a healthy smoothie turns out thick and creamy instead of thin like fruit juice.

Add the 240 ml (1 cup) almond milk to the bottom of the blender jug before anything else. Starting with the liquid creates a vortex around the blades that pulls the solid ingredients down as you add them, so nothing gets stuck above the blade.

Drop the dried spinach leaves directly into the almond milk. The leaves will wilt and break down almost instantly once blending starts, since they're sitting in liquid rather than resting on dry ingredients.

Add the 150 g (2/3 cup) plain Greek yogurt next, which adds protein, a tangy edge and extra creaminess without needing more ice. Full-fat yogurt gives the richest texture, while low-fat works just as well for a lighter result.

Scoop in the 15 g (1 tbsp) peanut or almond butter, placing it near the blades rather than at the top so it catches and blends evenly rather than clumping against the sides of the jug.

Add the 15 g (1 tbsp) chia seeds and 2 g (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon on top of the yogurt. Chia seeds add fibre and a gentle thickening effect once blended, while the cinnamon rounds out the sweetness without any extra sugar.

Spoon in the 30 g (1 scoop) vanilla protein powder now, sitting it in the wet ingredients rather than on top of the frozen fruit. Adding it to the liquid layer stops it clumping into dry pockets once blending starts.

Add the frozen banana rounds on top of the wet ingredients. Keeping the frozen items above the liquid, rather than at the very bottom, protects the blender blades from having to chip straight into a solid block from a standing start.

Tip in the 75 g (1/2 cup) frozen strawberries and blueberries alongside the banana. No need to thaw them first — blending straight from frozen is exactly what keeps the finished smoothie thick and properly cold.

If your fruit is well frozen, you can skip the ice entirely; otherwise add 6-8 ice cubes, about 100 g (3.5 oz), on top of the frozen fruit for extra chill and thickness. Too much ice at this stage is the most common reason a smoothie tastes watery once blended, so start light and add more only if the finished drink feels thin.

Secure the lid and start on the lowest speed for 15-20 seconds to break the frozen chunks down into smaller pieces before they hit full power. You'll hear the blender's pitch change and steady out once the large lumps have broken apart — that's the visual and audible cue to move up a speed.

Turn the blender to its highest setting and blend for a further 30-45 seconds, using the tamper if your blender has one to push stray fruit down into the blades. The smoothie is ready when it flows in one continuous ribbon off a spoon with no visible flecks of spinach or lumps of frozen fruit.

Taste the smoothie and stir in the honey or maple syrup only if it needs a touch more sweetness, or a splash more almond milk if it's thicker than you'd like. Pour immediately into two glasses and drink straight away, since a smoothie is at its best — coldest and thickest — within the first few minutes of blending.